Rep. Priscilla Prado

Maddy summaryAB 336 would allocate $11 million annually for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years to fund additional mental and behavioral health services at the University of Wisconsin System. The bill specifically directs these funds toward improving student health services through enhanced staffing, training, prevention programs, and assessment tools. It directly affects all University of Wisconsin System campuses and their students by expanding access to mental health support. The funding mechanism is a direct state appropriation with no additional requirements for institutions.

Maddy summaryAB 335 creates a new $2 million annual appropriation to provide monthly stipends for school social worker interns. It directly affects interns enrolled in graduate programs leading to school social work licensure who are placed in public schools by school boards. The bill establishes that funds from the Public Instruction budget will cover these stipends starting in the 2026-27 school year. This is a concrete funding mechanism with no additional requirements or policy changes beyond the stipend payments.

Maddy summaryAB 341 creates a $5 million annual grant program to help prospective school social workers cover education costs for licensure. It specifically targets individuals who are members of racial minority groups (including Black Americans, American Indians, Hispanic individuals, Asian/Pacific Islanders, or multiracial people) and are either school employees or enrolled in relevant graduate programs. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will administer the grants and establish rules to implement the program. The bill allocates funding for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years, with implementation starting after the 2025 budget act is published.

Maddy summaryAB 342 creates a $5 million annual grant program for school districts to hire mental health professionals who are members of racial minority groups. The bill defines "racial minority group" to include Black Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Hispanic individuals, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and multiracial people. School districts receiving grants must use funds specifically to hire qualified professionals from these groups. The Department of Public Instruction will administer the program and establish rules for implementation, with funding allocated for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years.

Maddy summaryAB 359 prohibits licensed mental health professionals from providing conversion therapy to individuals under 18 years old. The bill defines conversion therapy as any attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, while explicitly excluding supportive counseling for gender transition, general acceptance, or safety-focused interventions. Violations could lead to disciplinary actions by licensing boards, including license suspension, revocation, or limitations on practice. This law directly affects minors under 18 and mental health professionals licensed under chapters 448, 455, or 457 of the statutes.

Maddy summaryAJR 79 is a ceremonial joint resolution recognizing June 2025 as LGBTQ Pride Month in Wisconsin. It formally acknowledges the state’s historical support for LGBTQ rights - including being the first to pass anti-discrimination laws in 1982 - and highlights ongoing community efforts, though it does not create new policies or affect specific groups. As a symbolic resolution, it has no legal force or binding requirements.

Maddy summaryAB 339 creates a state-funded program to reimburse school districts and charter schools for comprehensive mental health services provided to students during school and after-school hours, starting in the 2025-26 school year. Eligible services include mental health literacy programs, parent training, community partnerships, mental health navigators, and telehealth setup costs, while excluding direct treatment services, insurance deductibles, and regular school operating expenses. The program allocates $83.8 million for each of the next two fiscal years, with reimbursement capped at either $100,000 per school or $100 per enrolled student. This funding aims to expand accessible mental health support within schools without requiring new taxes or fees.

Maddy summaryAB 355 removes specific restrictions on abortion access and requires certain health insurance plans to cover abortion care without cost-sharing. It directly affects patients seeking abortion services and health insurers offering coverage under specified plans. Key provisions eliminate mandatory waiting periods and counseling requirements, while mandating coverage for abortion services in state-regulated health insurance plans. This policy change aims to improve access by removing regulatory barriers and ensuring insurance coverage.

Maddy summaryAB 360 creates a grant program to help small law enforcement agencies (those with 25 or fewer full-time officers) address staffing shortages. Agencies can apply for grants to cover costs of preparatory training for future officers and up to six months of on-the-job training for new recruits, provided they have high vacancy rates (20%+) or upcoming retirements. Recipients must commit to working at the agency for one year after training, and agencies may exclude new recruits from staffing maintenance requirements for six months. The program runs for 18 months after all funds are distributed, with repayment required if commitments aren't met.

Maddy summaryAB 267 requires Wisconsin state parks to waive all daily admission fees (including any issuing fees) on April 22 each year, commemorating Earth Day and its founder, Gaylord Nelson. This policy directly affects all visitors to Wisconsin state parks on April 22, making entry free on that specific date. The bill creates a new statutory provision (27.01(9)(b)) that mandates this automatic fee waiver annually. It does not change existing fee structures outside of Earth Day or create new funding obligations.